How can I determine and document which parts on my Tele Deluxe are original?

I bought what I was told was a '74 Tele Deluxe recently (the serial suggests it's a '73). Some parts are clearly not original and it's been refinished. I want to learn about and document what's been modified over the years better.

I think checking the dates and/or stamps on the neck and body is an obvious start. I also want to check that the WRHB as they're the main draw of this guitar. What else do people like to see? Pots? Pictures of the tuners and bridge?

Here are some pics:

I don't think that's the pickguard that came with this guitar. A lot of deluxes I see have a screw right in the middle (why is that?) and I've never seen one this color. One tuner is clearly a replacement.

All the tuners are replacements. They should be the trapezoid F tuners I think. Never seen one with a pearl pickguard. The dome knobs aren’t right. Probably supposed to be witch hats. I think the bridge is too new too. Looks like 90s block saddles.

Lemme see if I can find a photo of the bottom of my WRHB to compare. It’s a 74, but should be the same.

Awesome looking guitar.

Edit: wow looking at toomuchfun’s post below I was wrong about a lot. I didn’t think those sealed tuners came on the scene until the 80s at least.

Also please note if there is a hole in the body for the between the pick ups area for the pickguard and if it was ever used or just drilled.

I ask because of the blue undercoat showing on yours. I know of 2 early '80's Strats that are candy apple red with a blue sealer coat under it. Yours looks more like a refinish but could be a factory finish with a factory pearliod guard and standard Tele knobs. Pearliod is usually stiffer and maybe the hole in between the pick ups wasn't needed. This is just a guess looking at photos, not sure if Fender ever released a model like that.

Also please note if there is a hole in the body for the between the pick ups area for the pickguard and if it was ever used or just drilled.

I ask because of the blue undercoat showing on yours. I know of 2 early '80's Strats that are candy apple red with a blue sealer coat under it. Yours looks more like a refinish but could be a factory finish with a factory pearliod guard and standard Tele knobs. Pearliod is usually stiffer and maybe the hole in between the pick ups wasn't needed. This is just a guess looking at photos, not sure if Fender ever released a model like that.

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I plan to refer to this post when I take this thing apart. I'll take all the pictures and update when it happens (hopefully this weekend but possibly the one after).

You can find those tuners around, if you wanted to replace one. Keep an eye on eBay. The micro-tilt disk that's missing is also an easy-to-replace part, (angela.com or darren riley's) but tougher to find if you're looking for an old vintage part. I had a set of 6 of those tuners for years, but sold them a few years back. They're a '70s-era part, if I recall. I've found old Tele parts on eBay more than anywhere else, since it's common for folks to part the old 70s Teles out.

Why do you think the pots are of later date? You should read the number that starts with "137..." since these seem to be CTS pots.
If the finish is original, the body wood would be alder (not ash). You may want to check that. But the finish looks non-factory to me. And was that guitar available in fiesta red in '73/74?

Why do you think the pots are of later date? You should read the number that starts with "137..." since these seem to be CTS pots.
If the finish is original, the body wood would be alder (not ash). You may want to check that. But the finish looks non-factory to me. And was that guitar available in fiesta red in '73/74?

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The following is from my recollection talking with him:

Pots aren't all the same brand. My tech has a book that he uses to date the pots. There are some details of the way it was soldered that make him think it wasn't up to the standards of what he was using to seeing from Fenders of that era.

The finish is something that was available as a custom order and was a popular option at the time due to Hank Marvin and the shadows but not a standard color. We can still see the layer of Fullerplast underneath in places where it's been scratched, but we can't see any signs of another color. Sanding it perfectly to leave the Fullerplast, or doing that good of a job replicating the Fullerplast would be incredibly difficult. Details of how it was painted match what we know of how Fender did things in the factory. I think his point wasn't that it was impossible that it was a refin, but that it is not likely someone would've put the effort into getting every detail of how it was originally done right in order to make it look original.

You can find those tuners around, if you wanted to replace one. Keep an eye on eBay. The micro-tilt disk that's missing is also an easy-to-replace part, (angela.com or darren riley's) but tougher to find if you're looking for an old vintage part. I had a set of 6 of those tuners for years, but sold them a few years back. They're a '70s-era part, if I recall. I've found old Tele parts on eBay more than anywhere else, since it's common for folks to part the old 70s Teles out.

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The disk wasn't missing, it was taken off to inspect the paint job to see if it was a refin. I'll definitely be looking for a tuner set.